Pakistan carries out training launch of ballistic missile

Pakistan’s military successfully carried out a training launch of a surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday, at a time of heightened tension with neighbouring India over the disputed region of Kashmir, a spokesman said.

‘Pakistan successfully carried out night training launch of ... missile Ghaznavi capable of delivering multiple types of warheads,’ the spokesman for the armed forces, major general Asif Ghafoor, said on Twitter.

The missile can deliver a warhead a distance of up to 290 km.

The exercise came as hostility between Pakistan and India has increased following India’s revocation of the autonomy of the disputed region of Kashmir, the cause of two of their three wars.

Pakistan reacted with fury to the Indian decision, cutting transport and trade links and expelling India’s ambassador.